“This is the best therapy available”: World Mental Health Day 2018

World Mental Health Day 2018 is a good reason to celebrate the impact the work we do has on improving people’s mental health.

The people we work with are some of most vulnerable to mental health concerns in our society; prisoners, former prisons and young people engaging with youth offending teams and/or not in education employment and training.

Our programmes bring positivity, hope and new skills to people’s lives, enhancing their well-being and helping them to envisage a more positive future.

“Music helps with your emotions. Let it all out,” young person participating in Making Tracks

Our mental health credentials:

Royal Society for Public Health Arts & Health Award

We are a Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) Arts & Health Award winner! The RSPH Arts and Health awards recognise the excellent work the arts play in improving health, from mental health to health inequalities, to promoting the health and well-being of children and young people.

Evaluations

Whenever possible we welcome external evaluation of our work so help us learn and develop, as well as highlighting the successful elements of our programmes. Past evaluations have acknowledged the impact we have on improving participant’s mental health:

“… a lift in motivation, hope and self-esteem, a clear sense of achievement and a positive use of time … a sense of professionalism and pride. Taking part also contributed to re-building positive family relationships and being seen in a more positive light by others.”Evaluation of the Irene Taylor Trust’s Sounding Out Programme, J. Cartwright. 2013

“Besides bringing a sense of accomplishment and meaning, the project contributed to the participants’ wellbeing through also eliciting positive emotions. Both groups mentioned experiencing joy, satisfaction, surprise, enthusiasm and awe throughout the project. Some participants also highlighted a sense of peace, freedom, gratitude and strength. The moment when the participants’ heard their lullaby being played for the first time and the final performance were pointed as the emotional highlights of the project. The process of writing the song was emphasised as a fruitful space for both expressing and processing a wide range of emotions. This included negative emotions, such as sadness and regret, in a process which enabled a sense of relief.”The Lullaby Project: Areas of Change and Mechanisms of Impact, Sara Ascenso, 2017

“The men’s experiences of the project, particularly their feelings of encouragement to try things without judgement and to work together on a venture, clearly facilitated the development of their individual competencies and self-esteem. The individual competencies that men gained through the project may have implications not only for behaviour in prisons in the short term, but perhaps also for foundational aspects of selfhood and human capital (the capacity to co-operate, relate to others, negotiate and share, for example). These things can lead to improved outcomes once someone has been released from prison – for example, in terms of establishing relationships, confidence in one’s self, and abilities – all of which contribute to the development of social capital (opportunities, connections, and new horizons).” Beats and Bars: Music in Prisons, An Evaluation, A. Cox and L. Gelsthorpe, Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, 2008

Self-expression

Our projects give participants an invaluable opportunity for self-expression through the process of writing and performing their own songs; this gives people a chance for self-reflection and for marginalised people to have their voices heard.

Participant feedback

“Music is key for the soul! Music is always good for depression, anxiety, stress disorder. Music is life for the soul,” Prisoner working with our musician in residence

“Without this lesson I would not cope. It helps me express myself. Music is a way to release bad energy into good energy,” Prisoner working with our musician in residence

“I am really grateful to have discovered music to help me in my recovery. I really need every help to sort out my life and music has and will play an important part,” Prisoner working with our musician in residence

“Coming out of jail was hard, I was in a hostel and then moved into my flat and been staying home (alone) a lot … last week (on the project) was good, getting out meeting people, talking,”Sounding Out participant

“I’m happier now, I don’t want to do drugs and drink,” Sounding Out participant

“I hope this book is going to touch people’s hearts, that they can identify with the words. That some of the words might inspire them, put a smile on their face and give them hope in difficult times. Just like a guardian angel,”Music in Prisons Participant, A Picture of Me songbook project

Changing public perceptions

“This project has really inspired and touched me. I love the comments on the floor. It made me feel more open minded about prisoners and made me understand them more. They’re human beings with needs, passion, creativity. Music; it’s a fantastic way to channel people’s emotions and energy – well done!” Inside Out exhibition visitor

Our projects usually involve performances which are open to the public. This can have can have an important humanising impact on audiences, who may previously have held stigmatised views of the people we work with.

The Irene Taylor Trust is a registered charity (number 1073105) and company limited by guarantee (number 3637201) in England and Wales. Registered office: The Irene Taylor Trust, 7-14 Great Dover Street, London SE1 4YR.